Saint Arnold Brewing Co. has launched the Bishop's Barrel
series, a line of limited-edition barrel aged specialty beer that will
only be available in on-premise accounts.

The first in the series, Saint Arnold Bishop's Barrel No. 1,
is a Russian Imperial Stout aged for nearly 10 months in used oak
bourbon barrels. The brewery acquired the barrels from Kentucky's
Woodford Reserve distillery. Bishop's Barrel #1 shipped to bars and
restaurants in Texas and Louisiana on November 5.

"We filled our first barrel in 2005, mainly for our own
enjoyment," reported Saint Arnold founder and brewer Brock Wagner.
"We slowly expanded our barrel program to a few barrels here and
there, before beginning our barrel program in earnest at the end of last
year. The barrels essentially become one more ingredient in the beer
recipe adding both the character of the beverage previously stored in
the barrel as well as flavors extracted from the wood."

Mr. Wagner said the Saint Arnold brewery now features a
2,000-sq-ft. barrel room housing over 200 barrels acquired from
California wineries and Kentucky distilleries. Saint Arnold uses the
barrels once before they are retired. "They make lovely tables or
flower pots after that," Mr. Wagner said.

Aging is currently underway for three future Bishop's Barrel
offerings, including Bishop's Barrel #2, which will be an Old Ale in Chardonnay barrels with cherries. It is scheduled for release in
February 2013.

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